Andrew Gardner – BrainPOP Educatorshttps://educators.brainpop.com
Free Tips, Tools, & Resources for EducatorsWed, 21 Feb 2018 22:00:43 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.9New Year, New BrainPOP ELL!https://educators.brainpop.com/2018/01/08/new-year-new-brainpop-ell/
Mon, 08 Jan 2018 11:00:17 +0000https://educators.brainpop.com/?p=147400BrainPOP ELL is getting a makeover! Developed to be flexible for all students, the new BrainPOP ELL will have a fresh look and exciting enhancements. Here’s a sneak preview of what to expect: New Name: BrainPOP ELL English Language Learners (ELL) is the more universally accepted term for English Learners in K-12 setting. New Look... See more »

]]>Micro-Credentials and BrainPOPhttps://educators.brainpop.com/2017/08/14/micro-credentials-brainpop/
https://educators.brainpop.com/2017/08/14/micro-credentials-brainpop/#commentsMon, 14 Aug 2017 10:00:54 +0000https://educators.brainpop.com/?p=144660Andrew Gardner, our VP of Professional Learning, shares his insights on micro-credentialing. Recently, I had the privilege of participating in a panel at Badge Summit – along with Robert Bajor from Digital Promise, Rich Dixon from Buck Institute, Barbara Bray from ReThinking Learning, and Cate Tolnai from Santa Clara Board of Education – to discuss “The What, How, and Why of... See more »

What Exactly is a Micro-Credential?

Micro-credentials recognize single skills or competencies regardless of where or when the learning takes place. They often take the form of badges: the same way a Boy Scout might earn a badge for learning to make a fire or tie a knot, educators might earn them for things like assessment design and virtual community organizing. Educators can then display their “badges” to represent what they’ve mastered.

Who Issues and Recognizes Micro-Credentials?

A variety of organizations issue and recognize MCs as a legitimate representation of learning. One leader in the movement is Digital Promise, which has worked to create protocols for MC development and issuing processes. Essentially, they serve as Good Housekeeping and its “Seal of Approval.” Many universities, non-profits, and advocacy groups are also developing MCs based on the processes Digital Promise has outlined. States such as Texas and Illinois are now accepting certain educational MCs as professional development credits, or CEUs.

Why Micro-Credentials?

MCs let professional represent their skills more clearly. Unlike a degree – which indicates competency in a broad discipline – badges show mastery of specific skills, verified by the organization that developed and issued the MC. The credentials are based on work evaluated by a human – not an algorithm – and can be difficult to earn, which gives them added meaning and value.

How does an educator earn a Micro-credential?

To earn an MC, educators must produce evidence that demonstrates their competency or skill, then submit it to the issuing organization for review. If the issuing organization determines that the submitter has met its criteria, the micro-credential will be issued. There are many places where that MC may “live,” but it’s typically awarded via the “open badge” platform developed and maintained by Mozilla, IMS Global and LRNG. The credential is then essentially stored in a “digital backpack.” The open platform allows MCs to appear in multiple contexts.

What Does BrainPOP Have to do with Badges and Micro-Credentials?

Teachers may earn a badge through our certification program, in whichparticipants must demonstrate competency using BrainPOP’s content, features, and tools in pedagogically sound ways. Candidates complete course work and produce a series of projects that show they’re successfully able to use and implement our tools, and a solid understanding of the learning objectives. Currently, the certification badge isn’t part of the open platform, but can be used in an email signature and on social profiles. Learn more about our certification program and its other benefits!

With BrainPOP in your educator toolkit, you can use our content, features, and tools as you work to earn MCs issued by other organizations. For example: you might have students create concept maps made with Make-a-Map for Digital Promise’s Mapping Facts or Mapping Concepts MCs. Our playful assessment games collect data you can use to develop data-driven reteaching groups, the topic of a micro-credential issued by Relay Graduate School of Education. Check out this Pinterest board for additional examples of how to use BrainPOP for micro-credentials – including those earned through the professional development provider Bloomboard.

Have you used BrainPOP to earn a micro-credential? We’d love to hear about it in the comments!

]]>https://educators.brainpop.com/2017/08/14/micro-credentials-brainpop/feed/3Inside the POPUp Classroomhttps://educators.brainpop.com/2017/02/02/inside-popup-classroom/
https://educators.brainpop.com/2017/02/02/inside-popup-classroom/#respondThu, 02 Feb 2017 19:50:14 +0000https://educators.brainpop.com/?p=140183Recently, as many of you know, we’ve begun hosting our own “POPUp Classroom” at major conferences like FETC. This space gives us the opportunity to dig a little deeper than we can in the busy exhibit hall: we put it to use for trainings, focus groups, and certification workshops. Our Classroom sessions are led by... See more »

Recently, as many of you know, we’ve begun hosting our own “POPUp Classroom” at major conferences like FETC. This space gives us the opportunity to dig a little deeper than we can in the busy exhibit hall: we put it to use for trainings, focus groups, and certification workshops. Our Classroom sessions are led by BrainPOP staffers from different departments, with support from local Certified BrainPOP Educators (CBEs). At FETC alone, we welcomed more than 500 teachers to the Classroom: 200+ provided feedback on pipeline projects and 100+ started the BrainPOP certification process.

In our POPUp Classroom focus groups, educators get a sneak peek at new offerings we’re working on, then have the chance to shape what those offerings ultimately look like.

“Inviting teachers to be a part of our development process allows teachers to truly feel that they are a part of the process and that BrainPOP is vested in creating tools and features that best serve their needs,” says Enid Brown, Learning Engineer.

Steve Ji, another Learning Engineer, adds, “[these focus groups] inform the very foundation of our designs, from ‘why’ we build something to ‘how’ we build it.”

During our Certified BrainPOP Educator workshops, our team of former classroom teachers showcases the breadth of BrainPOP’s features using integration practices and research-based methods of instruction. Attendees learn about the theory of concept mapping, for example, by “actively” viewing a BrainPOP movie about it then applying the “4 corner” method for taking a related quiz as a whole group. Rather than using the quiz to determine who’s right and who’s wrong, we discuss the answer choices and their merit. This highlights quizzes as entry points to meaningful conversation and shows that they can do more than merely provide assessment data. While exploring learning games, we take an observation approach based on artful thinking techniques. To analyze game interface and hypothesize on next steps, we observe, hypothesize and test. We also discuss the value of game play as a collaborative activity that encourages meaningful conversation – regardless of the curricular content the game may cover. We often have our CBEs share their experiences using BrainPOP’s advanced features in the classroom too.

The POPup Classroom is an integral part of the BrainPOP conference experience. We love demonstrating creative teaching practices, but we also love learning from you! Educator insight plays a huge role in informing our product development and design. So we encourage you to come visit our POPUp Classroom at an upcoming ed tech show. We’re on the road a lot this spring – so check out where we’re going next!

]]>https://educators.brainpop.com/2017/02/02/inside-popup-classroom/feed/0Webinar Alert! Prepare for the Hour of Codehttps://educators.brainpop.com/2016/11/28/webinar-alert-prepare-hour-code/
https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/11/28/webinar-alert-prepare-hour-code/#respondMon, 28 Nov 2016 22:37:09 +0000https://educators.brainpop.com/?p=138220Join us this Wednesday, November 30 at 6:30 pm ET for a special webinar – Prepare for the Hour of Code! Computer Science Education Week and Hour of Code has helped educators introduce millions of students around the world to the power of code. In this webinar, our partners Tynker, All Can Code, and Code.org will... See more »

Join us this Wednesday, November 30 at 6:30 pm ET for a special webinar – Prepare for the Hour of Code!

Computer Science Education Week and Hour of Code has helped educators introduce millions of students around the world to the power of code. In this webinar, our partners Tynker, All Can Code, and Code.org will help us highlight some of BrainPOP’s coding resources. We’ll also share tips for using coding tools in your classroom and taking full advantage of the Hour of Code.

]]>https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/11/28/webinar-alert-prepare-hour-code/feed/0Thoughts, Tips and Tricks from Certified Educators part 3 – BrainPOP Educatorshttps://educators.brainpop.com/2016/11/08/thoughts-tips-tricks-certified-educators-part-3-brainpop-educators/
https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/11/08/thoughts-tips-tricks-certified-educators-part-3-brainpop-educators/#respondTue, 08 Nov 2016 11:00:03 +0000https://educators.brainpop.com/?p=137632Over the last few weeks we have shared discussion highlights from our online Certified BrainPOP Educator course. We’re excited to continue the series with more thoughts and ideas from our future CBEs. As part of the online course, we take a deep dive into the teacher experience on My BrainPOP and the breadth of support resources... See more »

Over the last few weeks we have shared discussion highlights from our online Certified BrainPOP Educator course. We’re excited to continue the series with more thoughts and ideas from our future CBEs. As part of the online course, we take a deep dive into the teacher experience on My BrainPOP and the breadth of support resources here on BrainPOP Educators. Participants are tasked with taking a Educators scavenger hunt – like an old fashioned webquest, to guide discovery of the resources and features on the BrainPOP educators website. Designed for the entire range of teachers – from newbies to teacher trainers, this site is deep! Here’s what our future CBEs have to say about their favorite discoveries!

“I loved the Webinar archive. I can go to review or obtain new learning about BP resources, features and tools. This excites me, as I often need to seek out new ideas and/or resources for teachers I work with. My “ever learning, never done” philosophy will be well supported here!” – Jessie Erickson

“Because I work with a variety of grade levels, I found the standard search to be most useful. Instead of teachers just giving me random topics or me having to hunt for the standard information, I can start asking teachers for the specific standard and plug it right into BP. This gives me a really easy way to then refer them to tons of lesson ideas based around that topic!” – Sammie Burman

“The lesson plans are wonderfully detailed and so fully developed, that it should be easy for any educator, newby or veteran alike, to make use of them very quickly and with little confusion. The accompanying resources are outstanding and really add depth to the lesson themselves. I was very impressed with how many of the plans are linked to tools and websites outside of BrainPop itself, that will further enrich the material.” – Shannon Wright

“I found the “Lead a Workshop” training resources the most helpful and useful. As our District’s IT Learning Support Coordinator, I visit all of our schools to provide PD. The outlines, step guides, slides, tips, the ability to create demo accounts and integration plan are astounding!” – Sarah Thompson

“I absolutely loved the section about Teaching with Games. I think that play is often times overlooked in the classroom and considered an off task behavior. I love that BP embraces the importance of games to develop critical thinking and problem solving strategies.” – Samantha Knoll

What’s your favorite section of BrainPOP Educators? What other resources could we develop to support you and your students? Let us know in the comments!

]]>https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/11/08/thoughts-tips-tricks-certified-educators-part-3-brainpop-educators/feed/0BreakoutEDU visits BrainPOP!https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/09/15/breakoutedu-visits-brainpop/
https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/09/15/breakoutedu-visits-brainpop/#respondThu, 15 Sep 2016 18:33:42 +0000https://educators.brainpop.com/?p=135395BrainPOP teamed up with BreakoutEDU’s new CEO and longtime education thought-leader, Adam Bellow last week for an in-house visit at our New York office to showcase some of the great things they’re doing for classroom games. For those of us who don’t already know, BreakoutEDU uses a format similar to ‘Escape the Room’ games, but... See more »

BrainPOP teamed up with BreakoutEDU’s new CEO and longtime education thought-leader, Adam Bellow last week for an in-house visit at our New York office to showcase some of the great things they’re doing for classroom games. For those of us who don’t already know, BreakoutEDU uses a format similar to ‘Escape the Room’ games, but tailors the clues and puzzles for students to solve collaboratively in the classroom! Adam gave a brief presentation on how BreakOut Edu came to life and the mission of the organization, followed immediately by breaking our group up into two teams for some hands-on game experience.

We played a game called Time Warp that centered its riddles on forms of communication throughout time. Before we arrived, Adam had scattered clues and objects around the room for us to find. Each item was part of a larger puzzle, with some sequential order to follow, but no guided instructions were given. The room buzzed with excitement and teamwork as the timer ticked down from 45 minutes! The game seamlessly intertwined physical objects with technology to guide participants to solutions. On one side of the room, people were trying to figure out the meaning of a painting with knotted ropes, while others were poised over a laptop translating language to uncover the clue of an excel spreadsheet. Each clue provided an answer or code to open one of the many locks protecting the BreakOut Edu box. In the end, we solved the puzzle with the help of a hint and some guidance from Adam himself.

To conclude our session, Adam played us a video – featuring POPstar teachers Micah Brown and Dyane Smokorowski – that showcased how teachers have combined Breakout Edu and BrainPOP tools to make the most of the classroom experience for their students. It was a wonderful way to bridge BrainPOP and BreakOut Edu products, and show how they can be used hand-in-hand to bring fun and technology together to enrich children’s educations.

Are you using BrainPOP and BreakoutEDU together? Let us know about your experience in the comments!

]]>https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/09/15/breakoutedu-visits-brainpop/feed/0September’s #BPOPchat – Start the Year off Right with BrainPOP!https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/08/26/septembers-bpopchat-start-year-off-right-brainpop/
https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/08/26/septembers-bpopchat-start-year-off-right-brainpop/#respondFri, 26 Aug 2016 20:16:18 +0000https://educators.brainpop.com/?p=134804Thursday, September 1st, at 7PM ET follow the hashtag #BPOPchat on Twitter to discuss beginning the new school year with BrainPOP. We’ll come together to set goals, share successes, implementation ideas, and continue building the #BPOPchat community! Like most education based twitter chats, #BPOPchat is structured around six to seven open-ended guiding questions, so there... See more »

Thursday, September 1st, at 7PM ET follow the hashtag #BPOPchat on Twitter to discuss beginning the new school year with BrainPOP. We’ll come together to set goals, share successes, implementation ideas, and continue building the #BPOPchat community! Like most education based twitter chats, #BPOPchat is structured around six to seven open-ended guiding questions, so there are easy entry points for sharing and getting ideas. Click here to RSVP and use the participate.com chatroom, or see you on twitter!

]]>https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/08/26/septembers-bpopchat-start-year-off-right-brainpop/feed/0Stephanie Markman Shares a Unique BrainPOP Inspired Project!https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/05/24/new-students-made-projects-force-motion-and-energy/
https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/05/24/new-students-made-projects-force-motion-and-energy/#respondTue, 24 May 2016 19:14:39 +0000https://educators.brainpop.com/?p=131797Guest blogger Stephanie Markman is a fourth and fifth grade teacher at Alliance Charter Elementary school in Neenah, WI. Her students created a series of stop motion animations inspired by BrainPOP. Stephanie writes: This project was one of those things that developed through quick thinking and collaboration. We cycle through our science and social studies... See more »

Guest blogger Stephanie Markman is a fourth and fifth grade teacher at Alliance Charter Elementary school in Neenah, WI. Her students created a series of stop motion animations inspired by BrainPOP. Stephanie writes:

This project was one of those things that developed through quick thinking and collaboration. We cycle through our science and social studies topics in alternating years. In previous years we had done various projects with forces and motion, but I was looking for something new. Students began by working with resources I had picked out for them to gather information. We also did a couple experiments to help them use the terminology and their learning in real life, hands-on situations. While combing through their resources one of the students pointed out that there wasn’t a BrainPOP topic page on forces. They noticed this pretty quickly because BrainPOP is one of very first “go-tos” in research. I decided then and there that we should make our own BrainPOP. I then gave the handout in which I wrote a note to Tim and Moby asking about forces, motion, and energy tasking them with creating the answer. I also listed the vocabulary that they would need to include. The sketched out the scenes and drafted the scripts. At this point I still wasn’t sure how to publish this project and that’s where our Library Media Specialist, Jennifer McMahon comes in. I went to her and asked what she suggested, which was stop motion. She suggested a great free app and we were on our way!

Having not done this before, we stumbled upon some difficulties. Here are some tips if you decide to do a project similar to this:Have the students’ backgrounds be illustrated in landscape – and 11” X 14” piece of paper would probably be perfect.

We used wall putty for our Tim, Moby, and props that way they were easy to move around.

Have the students take MANY pictures. Most of these presentations have close to 500 pictures.

We used the free Stop Motion Studio App which had a transparency layer within it. This helped immensely when iPads would get bumped because then students were able to line up their backgrounds.

Set up the “recording” station in a location where you can have the iPad and background motionless for the duration of the picture taking process.

Have the kids practice their scripts and perhaps type them up before recording. We had several students who couldn’t read their own handwriting when it came time to record so that just delayed the process*.

It is a great project, just allow several hours for it from start to finish.

Would you like to see the work that Stephanie’s students produced? Check out our Student Made Project section of BrainPOP Educators.

Have you created BrainPOP inspired content with your students? If so, get in touch! Or want some help thinking through the process, check out our lesson plan!

*editors note: do you follow a writing process? If so, this script is perfect content applying protocols that you already use!

]]>https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/05/24/new-students-made-projects-force-motion-and-energy/feed/0Highlights from #BPOPchat May 5th – Engaging Students Through the End of the Yearhttps://educators.brainpop.com/2016/05/09/highlights-bpopchat-may-5th-engaging-students-end-year/
https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/05/09/highlights-bpopchat-may-5th-engaging-students-end-year/#respondMon, 09 May 2016 19:46:27 +0000https://educators.brainpop.com/?p=131568Check out highlights from May’s #BPOPchat on Twitter in which educators came together to discuss best strategies for ending the school year strong! BPOPchatters shared resources and insight about the challenges, solutions and approaches to most effectively close out the school year. We’ve collected some of the highlights for you to see below! For a list of resources that... See more »

]]>https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/05/09/highlights-bpopchat-may-5th-engaging-students-end-year/feed/0BrainPOP Professional Development: We Come to You!https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/05/06/brainpop-announces-professional-development-initiative/
https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/05/06/brainpop-announces-professional-development-initiative/#respondFri, 06 May 2016 10:00:07 +0000https://educators.brainpop.com/?p=131228We are thrilled to announce the debut of a BrainPOP Professional Learning workshops, a new “in person” professional development program that features sessions on relevant topics like BrainPOP for assessment, differentiation, and STEM. Over the course of the last year, the BrainPOP Educators team has worked closely with our Certified BrainPOP Educators to create and pilot these... See more »

We are thrilled to announce the debut of a BrainPOP Professional Learning workshops, a new “in person” professional development program that features sessions on relevant topics like BrainPOP for assessment, differentiation, and STEM. Over the course of the last year, the BrainPOP Educators team has worked closely with our Certified BrainPOP Educators to create and pilot these workshops in districts around the country. They’re everything you’ve come to expect from our offerings: engaging, applicable, and enjoyable. From start to finish, each is hands-on with our newest tools and features, designing tasks based on your objectives, and reflecting to enhance teaching practice. Following participation, you’ll work with a designated BrainPOP coach to support implementation and facilitate success.

BrainPOPProfessional Learning workshops also serve as the first step in our Certified BrainPOPEducator program. Attendees may choose to fulfill further requirements to demonstrate competency using BrainPOP content and tools in their teaching practice.

Workshops are led by members of the BrainPOP Educators team and a staff of current and former classroom teachers who have used BrainPOP creatively and successfully with their students.

You’ll find descriptions of the workshops right here. To order them for your school or district, please fill out our Indication of Interest form. We’ll then follow up to speak about your goals and help craft the best workshop for your community.